Yesterday the Fordham Foundation released a new report, Whole-Language High Jinks. The report is written by reading expert Louisa Moats and gives criteria for a sound ?scientifically-based? reading program.  This report is probably the result of controversy surrounding the Department of Education?s inspector general?s report, Sept 22, 2006, accusing the Department of limiting the Federal Reading First Program?s money to specific instructional programs.  Now the Department?s interpretation of ?scientifically-based? is much broader, and probably less effective.
On page 25, Moats refers to Charlotte/Mecklenburg?s success in making ?significant progress? with minority, poor and at-risk students.  I was particularly interested in this comment since I was on the Board of Education in the late 1990s when the Superintendent decided the whole system would adopt the Open Court Reading program. Many of the system?s ?reading specialist? objected to such a degree they retired early, or resigned. Meanwhile, the world did not come to an end, and many more children learned to read.
North Carolina?s Reading First program consists of  $153 million, but who knows if the money is being well spent? This report will help the public determine if their system?s reading program is truly based on sound research, and effective teaching methods.